Hundreds of people every day are failing to use the crossings in Newcastle City Centre, with some pedestrians stepping into the road without looking.

The Chronicle took a snapshot of life at the blackspots which have seen almost 20 people involved in tangles with buses in only two years, and saw many people taking their life in their hands as they failed to pay attention.

But the survey also found that some drivers were running red lights.

The study, covering periods at each of the Newgate Street/Grainger Street, Grey Street/Market Street and Blacket Street/Pilgrim Street junctions, saw as many as 30 people a minute scurrying across the road between buses and other cars.

And we saw evidence of some shoppers, including mothers with pushchairs, who simply failed to look before setting out into the path of traffic.

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Elsewhere a mobile survey of Newcastle’s streets, filmed from the dashboard of a Chronicle car, saw cars narrowly missing people as they ignored the city’s pedestrian crossings and chose instead to try and rush across Pilgrim Street, and Collingwood Street.

Peter Gray, the city council’s head of highways and Local Services, said: “The number of pedestrians who have been knocked down is of real concern to us. Indeed the leader of the council himself has met with bus companies to see what can we can do together to reduce the number of accidents in the city centre.

“In response to what has happened over the last two years, we are about to install countdown indicators to traffic signals at the junction of Grainger Street and Newgate Street which will show pedestrians crossing there the number of seconds they have left before the lights change.

“We hope that this warning will give people the information they need to decide whether or not they have sufficient time to cross safely.

“If it does work it’s something that we will look to install at other locations in the city centre.”

The city’s bus companies say they are willing to work with the council to try and find a solution – though they blame pedestrians for many of the incidents.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “The clear common factor in these incidents has been pedestrians stepping out on to the road in front of vehicles.

“We will be meeting with the local council to suggest that further steps are taken to warn pedestrians about the need to take care and be aware of traffic in the city centre.

“We are happy to discuss with the council other measures which will ensure that buses can continue to help local people access the city centre for shopping and to use public services, while at the same time ensuring the safety of pedestrians.”